Field Theory: Four Years Ago
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Con los comentarios de ESPN en espanol...
Let's see how long this one lasts.
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Labour's official release by their Tourism spokesperson, Kelvin Davis.
“This was our big opportunity to promote New Zealand to overseas visitors. It was a debacle, from the disaster that was the transport system to the inadequacy of crowd control and police numbers, and the failure of technology which saw only three out of the six big screens working.
"It was interesting to overhear Kiwis caught up in the shambles apologising to foreigners for the problems.
“The Prime Minister, the Rugby World Cup Minister, the Minister of Infrastructure, and the Minister of Transport all had a hand in this. It’s now up to them to explain what went wrong.
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Concerning the the model upthread: I've had a little correspondence with Tony from Double Digit Numerics - their model counts both Argentina and Scotland at the pool stage, hence the sum. They've added in that much.
I'd still like to know what the odds are of Tonga or Manu Samoa winning are. I could of course look at the TAB, but a bookmaker's job is to work out the odds and then offer something different...
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bmk, in reply to
I'd still like to know what the odds are of Tonga or Manu Samoa winning are. I could of course look at the TAB, but a bookmaker's job is to work out the odds and then offer something different...
Well by looking at the TAB you can work out a maximum probability. If the TAB are offering 20:1 that obviously means that their bookmakers have worked out that they have a less than 20:1 chance.
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Simon Grigg, in reply to
I'm sure you're right, George, but, sadly, this video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by Rugby World Cup Ltd
Hayley Westenra – World In Union:
This content cannot be played in your Country.
Tried using a proxy based in the US too - same result.
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“Duelo de HAKA! Nueva Ze…"Este video ya no esta disponsible debido a un reclamo do derechos de autor realizado por Rugby World Cup Limited.
Rights of the author… Tell that to Te Rauparaha. Or, for that matter, Ngaati Toa.
ETA: Oh dear. Have I started a copyright thread?
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Rich Lock, in reply to
Yeah, The traffic jam after the fireworks finished didn't clear going out of Devonport until around 10.30 yesterday evening - we can see the devo end of Lake Road from our bedroom and it was nose-to-tail for 2-3 hours heading out.
The ferries into town were suspended from around 5.00, but even when I was walking home at 3.00, the queue was back to the library.
Mt Vic looked like a christmas tree with all the torches on the slopes. We were down on the stretch between the navy base and the ferry terminal, and it was getting pretty darn snug.
Town was rammed even when I left at around 2.00.
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Craig Ranapia, in reply to
Frontline staff did brilliantly on the night with what they had, but notwithstanding Craig’s hurt feelings the train operators continued a long trend of not communicating adequately with their customers.
Thanks for that, Sacha. [REDACTED: Realised I've breeched the privacy of a third party.] I won't hold my breath waiting for anyone to give a shit (why start now?), but I understand some train staff have been communicating extremely clearly with Veolia and their union reps about being harassed and abused by customers last night. I don't give a shit how "frustrated" and "panicked" some people were about getting to a sodding football game, if some of the shit I've heard is even half-true we don't deserve nice things in this town.
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bmk,
Well that was a thoroughly engrossing game which while it was lacking tries I really enjoyed. Just wish the upset had happened. Would've really set the cup alight had Romania beat Scotland and Argentina England.
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Great games. The narrowing gap between minnows and flounder bodes well.
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Great games. The narrowing gap between minnows and flounder bodes well
Reckon, All the underdogs have played well so far.
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SteveH, in reply to
Using that model, you might have two teams, one of which always got beaten at the quarter-final stage, and another which always lost the final. And you’d rate them the same as they’d both lost the same number of knockouts.
Rating them the same may well be reasonable if they both lost to the same opponent(s).
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Friday night's haka? This YouTube channel seems to evade the ban-hammer:
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Thanks for that Russell. Wonderful, just wonderful.
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Last night was more angst inducing than I would have expected. Really really wanted Argentina to win. Those black jerseys were pathetic, and in the end bothered me greatly.
England didn't deserve to win. Which is how they usually win. Their torpedo tackling technique is hardly what I'd call sporting either. Spare ribs anyone?
What did they bring Wilkinson for again? 'The goal posts that way!' Unfortunately Argentina couldn't find them either.
And just don't mention the Warriors.
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BenWilson, in reply to
Last night was more angst inducing than I would have expected. Really really wanted Argentina to win.
Yes, they were fantastic. I loved how they were so excited that it looked like one of them almost fainted during their national anthem. They really wanted to win, and played like it.
But in the end it was a massive ask for them to beat England, and I think the most telling factor in the end was physical condition. The English played bruising rugby, and I don't grudge them their style. But Argentina taught them to run the ball. Playing a kicking game alone, relying on Wilkinson, very nearly lost them the match.
Japan had a great game too, possibly the best rugby I've ever seen them play. France wasn't awful, Japan just played a really smart game. Initially, I was just hoping they would score at least one try, so they blew my expectations out of the water. I would have loved to see them seize the lead in the middle of the second half, they came so close. But even then, I expected the final quarter to be telling, France are just too big, strong, and fast. They're still the team, aside from the All Blacks, that I'd most like to see win this tournament, really exciting with ball in hand.
Yesterday, it felt to me like Tonga had set the tone for this tournament, dealing out inspiration to all of the minor teams that it is within their power to give any of the top 5 teams something to be concerned about, if they set themselves reasonable targets. Being able to control the ball when they have it has led to very well earned penalties and tries.
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Sacha, in reply to
some train staff have been communicating extremely clearly with Veolia and their union reps about being harassed and abused by customers last night
Quite. The phrase 'meat in the sandwich' comes to mind. Management of the rail operator, contracting agency and cup organisers are responsible, as are politicians both national and local who set the regulations and resources they operate within.
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Sacha, in reply to
Those black jerseys were pathetic, and in the end bothered me greatly.
Got boos.
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Sacha, in reply to
Playing a kicking game alone, relying on Wilkinson, very nearly lost them the match
My fingers were crossed. I detest boring rugby.
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Sacha, in reply to
Japan had a great game too
+1
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BenWilson, in reply to
My fingers were crossed. I detest boring rugby.
Yes, although I think it was all about kicks because it was so tense. Several times Argentina got penalties that they could have kicked for territory, backing their chances of a try. But being only 6 in the lead makes going for any kick you can get compelling (on both sides), when it's a close game against a team that is higher seeded. I didn't really find it boring, there was a lot of running play. The only problem was that so many kickable opportunities came up from the running.
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Russell Brown, in reply to
But in the end it was a massive ask for them to beat England, and I think the most telling factor in the end was physical condition. The English played bruising rugby, and I don’t grudge them their style. But Argentina taught them to run the ball.
It was still only England who could score a try, though. Argentina deserved to win, but they couldn't put it away.
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Sacha, in reply to
I think it was all about kicks because it was so tense
Isn't a propensity for kicking England's standard game?
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Hands up who is glad the weather on Friday wasn't like this?
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BenWilson, in reply to
It was still only England who could score a try, though. Argentina deserved to win, but they couldn't put it away.
Yes, that was my point. England finally decided to kick for position, backing their runners, and pulled off the only try, a perfectly decent one. Good on Argentina for teaching them this lesson, that a kicking strategy against a weaker team is a stupid approach, and could easily cause an upset.
They can do better, and I hope they do better.
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